Roasted Broccolini With Pecans And Lemon Recipe

Roasted Broccolini With Pecans And Lemon

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An elegant side, roasted Broccolini is easier than you'd think.

Anna Theoktisto

Published on December 4, 2023

Recipe tested by

Southern Living Test Kitchen

Southern Living Roasted Broccolini with Pecans and Lemon — Photo:
Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Micah Morton; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

If you’re thinking, "Wow, that’s some stalky broccoli," actually, you’re kinda right and kinda wrong. While this lovely holiday side dish may look like roasted broccoli, it’s actually roasted Broccolini, that does indeed look like broccoli but is actually quite different.

Dressed up for the holidays with browned butter, lemon, and toasty pecans, this elegant side dish is the perfect partner for show stopping main dishes.

What Is Broccolini?

Contrary to popular belief, Broccolini is actually no baby broccoli—it’s a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli. It has a milder flavor than broccoli with thinner, more tender stems. One more fun fact about Broccolini—it’s trademarked, so it always get a capital “B.”

Can You Substitute Broccoli for Broccolini?

Long story short—mostly. Broccolini stalks are thinner and the florets are less dense than broccoli, so you’ll need to shorten the cooking time to prevent burning.

Ingredients

2 large lemons, divided
4 bunches fresh Broccolini (about 2 1/2 lb. total), trimmed
8 garlic cloves, smashed and divided
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 cup coarsely chopped pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Thinly slice 1 of the lemons. Halve any large stalks of Broccolini. Toss together half of the lemon slices, half of the Broccolini, 4 of the garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet until combined. Repeat with remaining lemon slices, Broccolini, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper on another rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until Broccolini begins to brown on 1 side, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle both pans evenly with pecans. Bake, stirring halfway through cook time, until pecans are toasted and Broccolini is tender and browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter; finely zest remaining lemon over Broccolini mixture.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

278	Calories
16g	Fat
35g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 278
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16g	20%
Saturated Fat 2g	9%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1217mg	53%
Total Carbohydrate 35g	13%
Dietary Fiber 15g	54%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 9g	19%
Vitamin C 247mg	275%
Calcium 275mg	21%
Iron 3mg	18%
Potassium 1302mg	28%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.